My family had a major impact on my education in many different ways. From the moment I began to speak to the moment I moved into my dorm at the University of Rhode Island, I know I can attribute my academic success to my family.
Most memories I have from my time spent with my grandparents revolves around us playing games. However, I never realized the games we were playing were also helping me learn. I began to read at the age of 18 months. My grandmother still has the forty flash cards with the simple words I was quizzed on daily. My grandparents would take any spare time to teach me words. If I was eating breakfast, my grandpa would teach me the words of the food I was eating. Every morning, my grandma would always complete the crossword puzzles in both the local and state newspaper. By the time I was four years old, I wanted to be a part of completing the puzzles. To make me feel included, my grandpa bought me plenty of puzzle books made especially for children, so I was already used to starting a task, completing it, and feeling proud about my work.
When I began school, I could not get enough of it! I loved every aspect of attending each day, working hard, and learning. Since both my parents worked, I would spent most days before and after school at my grandparents’ house. There, my grandparents would do anything to foster the beginnings of my education. If we had a bowl of fruit on the table, my grandpa would dump a handful of change next to it, and have me “purchase” the fruits that were all set at different prices. If I asked to practice more math, my grandma would write out worksheets with different addition and subtraction problems. She would grade them once I completed them, and I was very proud to hang my work on the refrigerator.
As I entered elementary school, the assignments that required more imagination and creativity were becoming part of my homework. This is where my father and his knack for handiwork came into play. I remember one project I had to do required a partner and I to create a “booby trapped” lunch box. Well, even in third grade, I learned that group work is not my forte as the girl I was partnered with decided not to do any work. Thankfully, my dad realized how upset I was and stepped in to help. He actually had a similar project when he was younger where he had to make some sort of an alarm system. Together, we made a lunch box that when opened, a battery-powered bell would sound off, thus startling the “lunch stealer.” My dad taught me that even projects that may seem a little difficult can also still be fun. His enthusiasm for projects helped me learn to enjoy working on more than just paper and pencil assignments.
During elementary school, middle school and high school my grandparents and my parents both attended every awards ceremony, presentation, or open house I was ever involved with. Their “proud as a peacock” mentality taught me how to be proud of my school work and even a little boastful at some times. My family always took time to read drafts of papers, listen to me practice a presentation, or just aid in research if I ever got stuck. Without my family’s support I would have never had the motivation to get the most out of my education. I know I would have just skated along and done the minimum to get by. However, because I had my family behind me, I managed to be a straight A student from elementary school to my senior year in high school.
The most important influence my family has had on my education has to do with my mom. She is the reason why I am at the University of Rhode Island today, and currently majoring in psychology. My mom is a school psychologist in the Stonington Public School System. I have always attended school with her and shadowed her for as long as I can remember. She has given me an education that I never could have achieved in a classroom. She gave me the tools I needed to be as successful as I am working with children, and she has shared her passion so openly that it is the reason why I want to be a school psychologist as well. My mom attended the University of Rhode Island for her undergraduate and graduate courses in school psychology. Excited to follow in her footsteps, I applied, and was accepted.
If it were not for my family supporting me and becoming involved in my school life, I do not know where I would be today. If I did not have my family sharing my enthusiasm and being proud of me, I would not have been accepted into over five national honor societies since high school. I attribute being in the gifted program in elementary school to my grandparents, and finding my passion through my mom. It is very hard to choose just one single way my family has affected my education, especially since they have supported me since day one.
Your account make me wonder if there were any downsides to the support your parents and grandparents provided? - fogleman Oct 6, 2010
EDC 102H Family and Education
My family had a major impact on my education in many different ways. From the moment I began to speak to the moment I moved into my dorm at the University of Rhode Island, I know I can attribute my academic success to my family.
Most memories I have from my time spent with my grandparents revolves around us playing games. However, I never realized the games we were playing were also helping me learn. I began to read at the age of 18 months. My grandmother still has the forty flash cards with the simple words I was quizzed on daily. My grandparents would take any spare time to teach me words. If I was eating breakfast, my grandpa would teach me the words of the food I was eating. Every morning, my grandma would always complete the crossword puzzles in both the local and state newspaper. By the time I was four years old, I wanted to be a part of completing the puzzles. To make me feel included, my grandpa bought me plenty of puzzle books made especially for children, so I was already used to starting a task, completing it, and feeling proud about my work.
When I began school, I could not get enough of it! I loved every aspect of attending each day, working hard, and learning. Since both my parents worked, I would spent most days before and after school at my grandparents’ house. There, my grandparents would do anything to foster the beginnings of my education. If we had a bowl of fruit on the table, my grandpa would dump a handful of change next to it, and have me “purchase” the fruits that were all set at different prices. If I asked to practice more math, my grandma would write out worksheets with different addition and subtraction problems. She would grade them once I completed them, and I was very proud to hang my work on the refrigerator.
As I entered elementary school, the assignments that required more imagination and creativity were becoming part of my homework. This is where my father and his knack for handiwork came into play. I remember one project I had to do required a partner and I to create a “booby trapped” lunch box. Well, even in third grade, I learned that group work is not my forte as the girl I was partnered with decided not to do any work. Thankfully, my dad realized how upset I was and stepped in to help. He actually had a similar project when he was younger where he had to make some sort of an alarm system. Together, we made a lunch box that when opened, a battery-powered bell would sound off, thus startling the “lunch stealer.” My dad taught me that even projects that may seem a little difficult can also still be fun. His enthusiasm for projects helped me learn to enjoy working on more than just paper and pencil assignments.
During elementary school, middle school and high school my grandparents and my parents both attended every awards ceremony, presentation, or open house I was ever involved with. Their “proud as a peacock” mentality taught me how to be proud of my school work and even a little boastful at some times. My family always took time to read drafts of papers, listen to me practice a presentation, or just aid in research if I ever got stuck. Without my family’s support I would have never had the motivation to get the most out of my education. I know I would have just skated along and done the minimum to get by. However, because I had my family behind me, I managed to be a straight A student from elementary school to my senior year in high school.
The most important influence my family has had on my education has to do with my mom. She is the reason why I am at the University of Rhode Island today, and currently majoring in psychology. My mom is a school psychologist in the Stonington Public School System. I have always attended school with her and shadowed her for as long as I can remember. She has given me an education that I never could have achieved in a classroom. She gave me the tools I needed to be as successful as I am working with children, and she has shared her passion so openly that it is the reason why I want to be a school psychologist as well. My mom attended the University of Rhode Island for her undergraduate and graduate courses in school psychology. Excited to follow in her footsteps, I applied, and was accepted.
If it were not for my family supporting me and becoming involved in my school life, I do not know where I would be today. If I did not have my family sharing my enthusiasm and being proud of me, I would not have been accepted into over five national honor societies since high school. I attribute being in the gifted program in elementary school to my grandparents, and finding my passion through my mom. It is very hard to choose just one single way my family has affected my education, especially since they have supported me since day one.
Your account make me wonder if there were any downsides to the support your parents and grandparents provided? -